Even more exciting (to some) than today's hardware introductions is Apple's announcement of the long-awaited Software Volume Licensing Program, enabling companies and other organizations needing multiple copies of Apple software to purchase them economically and efficiently.

The program includes tiered volume pricing based on the number of computers licensed per product, with a flat price within each tier. Apple's "up and running" toll-free technical support (within the U.S.) is included with each license acquisition, and special introductory pricing will be available as a promotional kick-off for the program.

To make updates easier, Apple is offering the Apple Software Maintenance Program to licensees with fifty or more computers. This yearly subscription "will provide updates, upgrades, bug fixes, modifications, and/or software enhancements," and will be available for all above products except the Apple Font Pack.

All authorized Apple resellers may participate, so contact yours for information. Education and state and local government purchasers should contact their Apple sales rep directly. As an interesting twist, U.S. customers may acquire volume licenses for site locations outside the U.S., though we suspect that certain export restrictions, mandated by the State Department, will still apply.